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BEAUTY LAB

Plexi Pop, In the Mood and India: new collections for spring from CND, Essie and OPI

1. MONSOONER OR LATER

Drench your nails in this deluge of orange-red from OPI.

2. CURRY UP DON'T BE LATE

This spicy golden metallic from OPI shimmers with style.

3. GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Essie's soft, sheer gray has a subtle hint of glimmer.

4. PLEXI PINK

A vibrant opalescent sheer from CND is so right this season.

5. NAIL GLOSS

This translucent medium-pink sheer from CND provides a hint of color.

6. TRANSLUCENT TANGERINE

CND's coral shimmer-sheer delivers a subtle wash of color.

7. YOGA-TA GET THIS BLUE

Make this deep, dark blue from OPI your fashion mantra for spring.

8. LOOKING FOR LOVE

An alluring pop of sheer lavender from Essie is seductively alluring.

9. I'M INDIA MOOD FOR LOVE

Heat things up with this hot pink to lust for from OPI.

10. TURQUOISE TINT

CND's aqua opalescent sheer is bright and breezy.

11. SECRET AFFAIR

Essie's iridescent neutral pink is romantic and feminine.

12. HARD TO GET

This true, flirty pink from Essie is a little bit fresh but lots of fun.

ELEMENTAL STYLE

Salon design for every taste, from clean and contemporary to ecologically friendly

Whether you're interested in designing your salon in a style that's traditional and elegant, chic and modern or rustic and comfortable, salon furniture manufacturers can offer full-service assistance, helping you achieve exactly the atmosphere you're looking for. The first step is finding inspiration. "I always suggest to clients that they gather ideas from magazines, photographs, art, nature and places they have been to, so they can convey their likes and dislikes of colors, materials, shapes, forms and function, as well as the feelings they would like their space to evoke," says Theresa Ciarlone, ASID, IIDA, who is a sales and design consultant and interior designer for Belvedere, manufacturer of the Belvedere and Welonda International lines of salon furniture.

Once salon owners have settled on the overall theme or mood they want to project, Takara Belmont's Andrea Egan, design director at the company's Boston showroom, recommends thinking carefully about which materials to use. "Materials with varied textures, like glass, grasses and wood, each lend a different feeling that could produce a look that's either slick or more rustic," she says. Choosing an appropriate color palette is equally important. For a customer who wanted a salon that reflected her Middle Eastern heritage, for example, Egan suggested a warm color palette reminiscent of that area's dry, sunny climate.

So what are the latest trends in salon design? Contemporary style with simple, clean lines remains the standard, and all-white interiors have been popular, according to Egan. But she and other salon manufacturers are also finding that many salons are embracing a softer style than the industrial look that has been dominant during the last few years. "We're seeing a lot of clients choosing darker, more earthy colors now," says Armando Petruccelli of Pibbs, a family-run salon furniture manufacturer that employs nearly 30 family members. "We're also finding that wood is coming back, so we're focusing on using more natural materials." This trend may be indicative of the growing demand for ecologically friendly design. "Sustainability is becoming important to more of our clients," Egan says. "They're starting to be interested in exploring new earth-friendly materials, like bamboo and cork flooring."

Etopa is addressing the demand for ecologically friendly design in a big way, by manufacturing furniture from sustainably farmed rubber wood in a zero-impact factory in China. Much of Etopa's pieces, such as the company's new haircolor dispensery, are portable, so they're easily moved as salons' needs change. "It gives salon owners a lot more flexibility to change up their space to allow customers to walk through it in a different way," says Etopa's Vice President Kristin Chou.

Cozy cafés and even hip cocktail lounges are still ragingly popular in salon design, but while they may seem like the most fun to design, it's important not to neglect other spaces, such as the backwash area, according to Petruccelli. "Don't forget that stylists and clients actually do spend a lot of time at the shampoo bowl—the more chemical treatments they get done the more time they're going to spend there."

At Salon Cabochon, with its rich brown leather chairs from Takara Belmont, curtains around each styling station can be closed to afford privacy.

Regardless of how salon owners decide to design their space, Ciarlone says planning ahead is imperative. "Make sure to allow extra time for unforeseen situations, such as materials and construction delays," she says. "It's best to plan your opening party a few months after you're open, when the salon operation is running smoothly and everything is in place." —LOTUS ABRAMS

THE HEAT IS ON

Give your clients the best blow-outs and the shiniest hair ever with these top-of-the-line blow-dryers.

Session stylists like this one working backstage at Donna Karan invest in top-of-the-line blow-dryers because they take such a beating.

1. HAIELITE

The HAIonic blow-dryer is quiet and ultralightweight, but it offers power and control. The tourmaline and ionic technology seals the cuticle to lock in moisture and protect color. hai-elite.com

2. HELEN OF TROY

Tourmaline Tools by Hot Tools Professional's Tourmaline Ionic Professional dryerreduces drying time by up to 50 percent. The dryer utilizes tourmaline to convert heat into nondamaging far-infrared energy and Direct Ion Technology to leave hair shiny and soft. hotus.com

3. TIGI BED HEAD

Smooth cuticles and boost shine with the new Hardcore blow-dryer. Immense air flow helps the hair dry faster, while a lock-in turbo switch delivers a continuous extra burst of hot or cold air. tigihaircare.com

The CHIRocket dryer projects millions of negative ions to break the water molecules instead of boiling them, using the lowest electromagnetic frequency. The infrared indicator light on the side shows when the dryer is blowing infrared and ionic heat. farouk.com

7. TURBOPOWER

The TurboPower Twin Turbo 3200 dryer produces a powerful airflow combined with high heat. It's made with the K-Lamination motor, which delivers more than 2,000 hours of drying time. turbopowerinc.com

Lightness and handiness are the primary advantages of the 5000 Da Vinci dryer. Plus, it reduces drying time with a patented Ionic Plus Generator that restores brightness and healthiness to hair. elchimusa.com

10. ITECH

The tourmaline crystals in the Tourmaline Hair dryer deliver far-infrared heat, reducing the need for strong wind velocity. As a result, this dryer causes less tangling and cuticle abrasion than traditional ones. itechproducts.com

11. ERGO

The XXP blow-dryer is extremely quiet and features all of the control switches on the back of the handle, making it perfect for left- or right-handed stylists. A patented turbine impeller airflow creates super-high air output. ergostylingtools.com

12. CURLISTO

The Ozone hair-dryer uses a unique patented technology that emits ozone molecules as it dries. Ozone has been shown to shorten drying time, improve hair health, help it hold color longer and minimize frizz and flyaways. curlisto.com

13. CRICKET CO.

The Friction Free dryer uses the power of ions, tourmaline and ceramic technology to create frizz-free shine by eliminating the friction to the hair cuticle caused by styling. It comes with a removable styling pick attachment. www.cricketco.com

MAD ABOUT HUE

Kim Vo reaches into his romantic bag of tricks to help you make every client look beautiful on Valentine's Day.

Surely you've heard this line before: "I have a big date tonight with my new boyfriend/old high-school flame/husband/guy I met on the Internet, and I need to look absolutely gorgeous. What can you do for me?" It's likely you'll be hearing it a lot more as the hours wind down toward Valentine's Day. As one of the most romantic days of the year, it's a time when most women want to pull out all the stops and take beauty to new heights.

Kim Vo

That's all fine, but watch out. Wanting to look fabulous is certainly understandable, but making a dramatic change before a big event isn't always the best idea. After all, the guy who's wooing your client on Valentine's Day—whether he's been around for two days or 20 years—was attracted to her original appearance, so a refinement of that style might be a better bet for her. Of course, the exception is the woman who really wants to shake things up and take a risk, so feel free to go wild with her and give her magenta hair if that's what she requests.

For everyone else, however, I suggest adhering to the maxim "less is more." The color trend for spring is subtle and understated, and has been dictated by the new "deconstructed" cuts sported by the likes of Victoria Beckham and Katie Holmes.

Some of these styles are wildly asymmetrical; others are more balanced. Some have side-swept bangs; others have a fringe that falls straight to the brow. Some are chin-length; others are shorter still. What they all have in common is that they are the latest version of the classic bob.

These jagged, edgy styles make a definite statement on their own, so today's shades of haircolor are designed to not compete with them. The solution—and the very latest look—is called "deconstructed color," and it's much more subdued than yesterday's look-at-me highlights.

Katie Holmes and Victoria Beckham are sporting au courant deconstructed cuts that are dictating the trend for subtle, understated haircolor.

To achieve the look, highlight using foils, separating tiny sections of hair so the lightened portions will be no wider than a strand of spaghetti. Using the same lightening product, paint some of the ends of the hair that are not wrapped in foil. The result is a diffused look that adds movement and dimension without being in-your-face obvious. You gain the illusion of uniform color from roots to ends—but with an unparalleled vibrancy that looks bright and healthy. So when your client shows up wanting something on the cutting edge of color and style, you can give her a great new look without turning her into someone else. And, odds are, her man will thank you for it. —E-mail Kim Vo at b2vsalon@sbcglobal.net.